THESIS NO.12
The Christian concept of creation
begins with God establishing his covenant (Gen.1&2). Creation finds its
fulfillment in Jesus Christ (Col.1:15-20).
Human persons are created in God's image (Gen.1:27) yet they are
affected by Original Sin (ND 512) at the personal and structural level. Theories of evolution do not necessarily
negate the Church's doctrine concerning creation and Original Sin
(Rom.5:12-21); ND 419-420). The
Christian's vocation discerns God's gratuitous love (ND 1935) in his creation
and in the task of creation and so are meant to live freedom (DH 1), solidarity
and hope (GS 12-18,32).
This thesis has got
six topics to be dealt with
1. The Christian concept of creation begins with God
establishing his covenant (Gen 1&2)
(I think that it would be more correct to say that the Israelite concept
of creation begins with God establishing his covenant rather than saying that
the Christian concept begins .... And this idea of Israelite later on was taken
by the Catholic Church).
The whole of OT deals with the
Exodus and Covenant Event. The Israelites
experienced God as the liberator God and that led to the covenantal
relationship between the Liberator God (Yhwh) and the Israelites. They experienced
God in their history. The origin of
Israel's religious experience is not the
discovery of God in nature but the encounter with God who is working in their
history. For the Israelites, bringing them out of Egypt and making with them a
covenant were one and the same act namely, creation and salvation. They also
experienced this God as powerful and mighty with whose help, they could win
over other nations ( exodus- conquest- covenant). It is this experience that
led them to conclude later on that this God could be the creator God. (We find
references to creation only in the exilic and the post exilic literature and
not in the pre-exilic one) Therefore, our study of creation should start with
the book of Psalms,Isaiah and Genesis. (Because some psalms are older than
Genesis).
PSALMS: In general, "The
coming into existence of Israel" is creation\redemption because, they
are one and the same reality. The Lament psalms call the ancient deeds
of Israel by which Israel came into
existence. (44,74,79,89). In the context
of threat, they were praying to the Lord remembering how Yhwh has brought them
into existence. The royal psalms
speak of the establishment of monarchy and again the same originating
event by which Israel came to be an
organised society. Ps.89.
SECOND
ISAIAH (40-55) "Exodus
conquest is the cosmogony". At
the time of exile, the Israel ceased to exist. Away from Yhwh, temple, land,
rituals, the Israel ceased to exist.
Therefore there is a need for new
exodus conquest. Therefore, the renewal of the first act (exodus
event) that brought them into existence was an act of creation.
THIRD
ISAIAH (56-66) The author
reflects on the situation of injustice prevailing in Israel and speaks of a new
creation within Israel. Creation for him is the act by which God will create a
new and just society.(removal of injustice).
From the experience of a savior God,
the people of Israel passed on to a creator
God. How did this happen? in his saving activity God showed that he is
not only a God of israel but has power over Egyptians, other tribes and even
nature. If Yhwh has power over the nations and forces of nature, then this God
can be the creator God. It is this faith inter-pretation that runs through out
the creation narrative of Genesis in which they see that the world created was
good and man was created in the image and likeness of God.
GENESIS: This book gives us two accounts of creation.
Gen 1:1-2:4 The priestly account of creation is the most
complete treatment of creation. It is a movement from chaos to cosmos. Man is
presented as the image and likeness of God and man rules over all creation. He
becomes the representative of creation.
Gen 2:4-25 The
Yahwistic account of creation places man
at the center of the whole universe. The movement is from man to cosmos. It is
not a report of creation but an interpretation of what God is doing now. It
serves as a retrospective prophecy, that is, an understanding of the present
projected into the past. The key word used in these accounts is barah which denotes a work of God all together sui generis (of its own kind), independent of any pre-existent
material and realized without effort on the part of him who wills it. Out of 47
times the word barah is used in the OT, 20 times it is used in Deutro
Isaiah where it means salvation. In the
whole of the Bible only 2Mac 7:28 talks of creation as out of nothing. But this
text is in Greek. Israel could never speak or think of abstract nothingness nor
could they think of anything existing without God. Hence, there is also a
process of de-divinising of heavenly bodies like Sun and Moon
The priestly author
tells us that creation takes place through the word of God. It shows the
personal activity of God as well as his transcendence. It also shows that the
creation is not an emanation from God. God and the world are distinct. Creation
is always seen in the perspective of salvation. The first act of creation is
salvation and in the same way every divine act of creation is an act of
salvation.
(It is good to know the idea of
creation in the Wisdom literature. This literature is influenced by other
regions specially Egypt. It speaks of intellectual, speculative aspect of
creation. It concerns with the knowledge aspect of creation whereas the
prophetic literature concerns with faith aspect.
Cosmos is a well ordered and beautiful one. The most significant aspect of wisdom literature is
creation through wisdom. Wisdom is conceived as divine woman. ( Job 28:1,12:
Pro 8:22-23; Sir 24: Wis 6:12-11:1). They speak of God's wisdom and not as
goddess as independent deities as it existed outside Israel).
2. Creation finds
its fulfillment in Jesus Christ (Col.1:15-20).
This text is divided in two
parts.The first part speaks of creation while the second part speaks of
salvation. The phrase `first born of all creation' means that Jesus is pre
eminently above creation. It refers to the `rank ', `dignity' and it does not refer to `time'.
But this phrase was interpreted wrongly by Arius who said that Jesus was a
creature and thus it led to the Trinitarian heresy.
Creation is through him, in him and
for him . Here Paul takes from the wisdom literature. It means that the power and wisdom of God at work in creation is
revealed through Jesus Christ now. In him, we have a manifestation of power
and wisdom of God at work in creation.
Jesus Christ becomes the embodiment and definition of creation. The nature,
meaning and goal of creation are understood in and through Jesus Christ. For NT
thought, creation is broader than the origins. Creation in the NT is closely related
to the project of reconciliation of
people among themselves as well as with nature and with God. The project
reached its high point in the ministry of Jesus christ that culminates in his
death on the Cross.( Because, Paul was taking elements from wisdom literature,
he was able to connect creation and salvation. Otherwise, we think of Jesus
only in relation to salvation) The other texts about creation in NT are 1Cor
8:4-6; Heb 1:1-3; Jn 1:1-3. (For the idea of creation in the tradition and in
the magisterium, please refer the class notes).
3. Human persons are created in God's image (Gen 1:27) and
yet they are affected by Original Sin (ND 512) at the personal level and
structural level.
For sacred Scripture teaches that
human persons were created "to the image of God," as able to know and
love his creator, and as set by him over all earthly creatures that he might
rule them and make use of them, while glorifying God. "What is man that
thou are mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost care for him? Yet
thou hast made him little less than God, and dost crown him with glory and
honor. Thou hast given him dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put
all things under his feet" (Ps 8:5-8). It is this idea of Psalm that has
influenced Gen 1:27.
ND 512: It does not speak of original sin directly but speaks in
the context of stressing the power of Grace of God that washes away the guilt
of original sin in baptism or in other words, it says that if any one asserts
that all that is sin in the true and proper sense, is not taken away but only
brushed over or not imputed, anathema
sit. For, in those who are reborn
God hates nothing, because there is no condemnation for those who were buried
with Christ through baptism into death "who do not walk according to the
flesh" (Rom 8:4) The holy council, however, professes and thinks that
concupiscence or the inclination to sin remains in the baptized and it has to
be wrestled with. Of this concupiscence which the apostle occasionally calls
`sin', the holy Council declares: The catholic church never understood that it
is called sin because it would be sin in the true and proper sense in those who
have been reborn, but because it comes from sin and inclines to sin. If anyone
thinks the contrary, anathema sit.
This teaching of the Council of
Trent in 1546 is nothing new. It put
together the texts of Carthage (418) and that of Orange (528).
The background for
this teaching
* Peleagianism: The British monk said that (1) there is no original sin. Adam is a bad
example. What we have is an imitation of
Adam. Grace is not necessary for salvation but a useful additional help. (2)
Jesus Christ has set us a good example. (3) NT has only pedagogical value.
Against this Augustine teaches that
Grace is absolutely necessary for salvation. A totally self sufficient
person is the lost person and sin is passed on through propagation not through
imitation. With regard to child baptism, Augustine said that the baptism is for
the remission of sins. They are sinful through propagation and not through
imitation because, they are not able to imitate.
* Theory of imputation (attribution): It said that Adam' sin is merely impute to us.
* Ana baptists and reformers: Bapitise again and again because, sin continues to
excise even after baptism. A christian is both a sinner and just person.
Against this
background the Trent teaches that the sin of Adam is one in origin, is
transmitted by propagation not by imitation, is in all, proper to each. The
effect of baptism is total. Concupiscence comes from sin, can lead to sin.
Critical comments: Trent dealt with ori.sin in a superficial manner in 25 days. The
Fathers had inadequate knowledge of Lutheran position (which said that sin is
not washed away but God covers our sins). Trent presupposes a historical Adam
and an out dated world view.
4.a. Theories of evolution do not necessarily negate the
Church's doctrine concerning creation and original sin (Rom 5:12-21; ND
419-420)
Here let us see
first the doctrine of original sin and then the theories of evolution and how
they don't negate the doctrine of creation and original sin.
Although set by God in a state of
rectitude, man, enticed by the evil one, abused his freedom at the very start
of history. He lifted himself up against God, and sought to attain his goal
apart from him. Therefore, sin originates from man's freedom and out of his free decision. Hence, what is
the notion of sin or original sin? Sin
is breaking or damaging the relationships with God, the neighbor, the world and
the self.
(Extra
but necessary Sin in the OT: It is infidelity to the covenantal relationship between
God and his people. It is the estrangement from a God who calls men and women
to intimacy and which brings with it disharmony in human relationships. It is a
substituting of human concerns at the interests of God's sovereign will (Ex
32:1-6; Deu 9:7-22) Rejection of neighbor is rejection of God (Eze 18:3-32)
Sin in
the NT: It is the
violation of the law of love. Love of God and love of neighbor are inextricably
linked (Mk 12:28-31) Sin is not only a
violation of law but also a force that is hostile to God and his kingdom and a
deliberate falling short of the evangelical call to holiness and communion. In
Apostle's ministry the main thrust was salvation in Jesus Christ. Sin is
mentioned but that is the situation from which Jesus saves. Therefore, the
focus is salvation. Ratzinger says that if you speak of sin, at the same time
in the same breath, you must speak of Grace also).
Sin has
got two aspects: personal
- it pertains to the core of each
person, as far as he \she does it deliberately. It affects others and cosmos. It can be done at three
levels: pre-moral, ethical and religious levels. Social- there is no such a
thing as private sin. Every voluntary selfish act or deficiency in love affects
others, that is , the community. Thus, the community itself becomes sinful. Sin
embodies itself in oppressive social and economic structures.
Original
Sin: (short form:
ori.sin) The traditional view is that
there was perfect harmony and order in the universe. But the first human
beings, Adam and Eve, sinned against God. This is called the first act of
disobedience or the original sin. This brought evil, sin and suffering in the
world. Through Adam and Eve we are sinners.
Problems posed by this traditional understanding
a) Problem of transmission of original sin: Could sin be
transmitted? They explained it like
this. Adam is a corporate personality. His mistakes affect the whole humanity.
b) Juridical condition: could the
sin of one man have power over other person?
c) The problem of modern
philosophers: The idea of original sin is against humanity, human dignity and
freedom.
d) The problem of modern science: If
evolution theory is true polygenism (also poly phyletism) is more likely than
monogenism.
e) The problem of modern
theology: Could sin be more powerful
than the redemptive act of Christ. Therefore, should not original sin be
understood in relationship to christ?
f) The problem of modern scripture
studies: It poses a problem with the historicity of Gen. Gen 1-11 is a pre-
history.
Scriptural
data: We can understand
sin in two ways.
Sin as a state: It is the existential condition in which every human being enters the
world as member of a sinful race (Ps 51; Rom 3:23)
Sin as an act: It refers to the first sinful act through which evil entered the world
(Gen 3: 1-24; Rom 5: 12-19)
Gen 3:1-24: This does not give the formal concept or doctrine of original sin.
Neither does it give a historical data for the existence of Adam and Eve. This
text is actually a religious Aetiology
- explaining the contemporary experience of sin. this is a retrojection into
the series of sins from personal to structural as given in Gen 4-11. They had
an experience of universal sin and universal suffering( sense of shame, sense
of guilt, fear of God, pain of child birth, subjugation to man).
The explanation given was that sin
and suffering were not from God, but
from human being because whatever God created was good. So sin and suffering
came from the free decision of man. Hence, OT was aware of sin and its
consequences but not the original sin. Genesis speaks of the nature of sin. Sin
in OT was understood as the fall of man which effected the estrangement form
God and from one another.
Rom
5:12-21: The message of
Paul is not the doctrine of Original sin and its transmission. Paul wants to
show "the universal salvific efficacy of Jesus. Jesus through his death
and resurrection saves all. To prove this Paul uses Adam's story as a
comparison, that is, Adam's disobedience and Jesus' obedience.
v.19 "Just
as" indicates only comparison and not origin. In the universality of sin,
Adam stands as the representative while in the universality of redemption Jesus
is the representative of grace and new life. Does this text prove the
historical existence of Adam? No. Paul might have believed in it. we do not
know. But this text does not prove anything. What is important here is the fact
that Jesus saves. The universality of redemption in Jesus Christ. Therefore,
both OT & NT do not possess the
concept of original sin as understood in the christian tradition. Original sin
is a human situation and not an act.
Contemporary Theologians on Ori.sin ( especially Karl
Rahner): (1) They reject
ori.sin as the sin of the first human being or as a matter of collective guilt.
They argue that every human person is offered grace. (2) The absence of grace
follows from some guilt freely incurred by the person. (3) The absence of grace also follows from the
human situation itself in which the effects of ori.sin weaken our capacity to
decide in favor of salvation. (4) Death
and concupiscence are not totally unnatural, since history begins at the point
where neither is absent. (5) Our human
situation therefore is dialectically determined, that is, we are at the same
time wounded by the effects of sin and oriented toward Christ and the God of
our salvation. (6) All our efforts to
overcome the effects of ori.sin constitutes a duty that can not be completed in
this world and therefore a duty that is never done.
what the doctrine
may mean today?
Human beings right from the
beginning of history said `no' to God's call to life of faith and love, a life
of relationship and openness, call to live in dependence on God. (2) As a
result every human being enters into a history tainted by sin. the being he or
she receives is already affected by sin. (3) every one adds to this sinful
situation, ratifies it form him or herself and hands on to posterity a sin laden
history. (4) Along with and in the personal responsibility of each one, there
is also a collective responsibility.
Therefore, taking into consideration
all these above said, we can say that the theories of evolution do not negate
the doctrine of ori.sin.
4.b. What are the
theories of evolution and how they don't negate the church's doctrine
concerning creation (ND 419-420)
Evolution: (It is a scientific theory which is highly probable. We
can not prove or disprove. Bible is not for or against evolution. It just
ignores it) It is the long drawn out process which has led with the passage of
geological epochs to ever new and different organic forms. As a scientific
theory it is concerned with the differences of life.
Theological views
1.
Fixism: It speaks of
creation by God of each species. This concept is based on `Genesis' It is a
rejection of evolution.
2.
Special intervention of God
at every decisive stage of evolution. e.g., inanimate things become vegetative
life by the intervention of God. It is against the omnipresence of God.
3.
Evolution under God's influence
all the time. God is at work at the beginning, development and the final
destiny.
Karl Rahner. Active self transcendence, that is, the development from within a being
towards something which is essentially higher. God activates the becoming of
the creature. It is not an occasional intervention but an enduring and intimate
intrinsic condition of being and becoming. God merely activates the becoming of
something and therefore it is a created world.
Theilhard
De Chardin (1881-1955):
He speaks of evolutive creation. All life is developmental. It is process, it
is centripetal. It tends towards a creative center and moves by convergence upon the center. According to
him, evolution is the expression in terms of our experience, of creation as it
unfolds in space and time. It can be called continuous creation. Chardin gives
yet another explanation for evolving creation as the broad development from
Alpha point to Omega point. Omega
point is the active center of centers- God.
Hominization: The process of human organism coming into being. (the
coming into existence of human beings) Theologically speaking beings emerged as
human beings at a point of time when being could formulate transcendence, that
is, emergence of a being that knew God as it's origin and fulfillment; in other
words, a being that could pray and
acknowledge it's dependence upon God. The ability to pray is self awareness and
self organization and prayer is the
awareness of transcendence
The Characteristics of evolution: the characteristics of an evolutionary view of the world
are:
Time => transformation of species
as the passing of time (with the passage
of time). As opposed to Gk thought in evolution theory, time is very important.
Time enters the very constitution of the beings and all belong to the history of the cosmos.
Movement => evolutionary theory
involves a dynamic character of being, the process of becoming which is against
the static view of the scholastics.
Progress => this movement is
forward and ever new and higher forms of life emerge.
Purposefullness
=> difference of opinion among scientists. Science does not deal with it and
has left it to Philosophy and Theology. The purposefullness of this world is
beyond the scope of science. The world has a purpose. God created the world by
word and has given a purpose to it - it is a faith statement.
Humani
generis of Pius XII (1950) ND 419:-
The Church does not forbid the doctrine of evolutionism, in so far as it
enquires into the origin of the human body from already existing and living
matter. But as to the souls, the Catholic faith demands us to hold that they
are immediately created by God. This raises a problem. Is the mother, mother of
my body, or mother of "myself"? Therefore, the whole human being
evolved from the low and the whole human being is created by God.
ND 420: With regard to polytheism, it says that the sons of the Church do not at
all have the same freedom. For the faithful can not lend support to a theory
which involves either the existence on this earth, after Adam, of true human
beings who would not originate from him, as the ancestor of all, by natural
generation, or that `Adam' stands for a plurality of ancestors. For, it is not
at all apparent how such a view can be reconciled with the data which the
sources of revealed truth and the documents of the Church propose concerning
original sin, namely, that it originates from a sin truly committed by one
Adam, is transmitted to all through generation and is in each, proper to each.
As evolution theory is highly a
probable one, it tries to explain the differences of life. It tries to explain
the experience of the emergence of new things and new beings. The creation
account in Genesis is also the expression of the experience of the Israelites.
The teaching of Church does not forbid the doctrine of evolutionism. But the
differences of opinion remain with regard to `how' of evolution. But the Bible is more in consonance with the
characteristic of the evolutionary world view.
The whole salvific event takes place in time- in the beginning God
created, in the fullness of time Christ came and we wait for the final
fulfillment- with a certain dynamism and progress and with a purposefullness.
Therefore, the
theories of evolution do not negate the doctrine concerning creation.
5. The Christians discern God's gratuitous love (ND 1935)
in his creation and in situations of life (in the thesis sheet it is given Christian's vocation discerns but
correct it as christian discerns).
It does not speak of Christian
discerning God's gratuitous love in his creation and in situations of life. But
it speaks of the correct understanding of the sinner's gratuitous justification
through faith. "`When the apostle says that the human person is justified
"through faith' and "gratuitously" (Rom 3:22, 24) those words
are to be understood in the sense in which the Catholic Church has held and
declared them with uninterrupted unanimity, namely, that we are said to be
justified through faith because "faith is the beginning of the human
beings's salvation", the foundation and root of all justification,
"without which it is impossible to please God" (Heb 11:6) and to come
into the fellowship of his sons. And we are said to be justified gratuitously
because nothing that precedes justification, neither faith nor works, merits
the grace of justification; for "if it is by grace, it is no longer on the
basis of works; otherwise (as the same apostle
says) grace would no longer be grace".
Creation is God's gift to us. The
whole creation is unfolding the mystery of God. The purpose of creation is the
glory of God, not selfishness but love diffusing itself. According to Judeo
Christian tradition, God involves himself in the course of history and in the
life of the people. It is the initiative of God. From creation to salvation God
involves himself in the history. He, out of his love, chooses to reveal
himself. Human beings do not merit it. It is in this way the Christians discern
the gratuitous love of God in creation
and in the situations of life.
6.
Human beings are called to collaborate
in the task of creation and are meant to live in freedom (DH1), solidarity and
hope (GS 12-18,32).
Our faith in creation demands a
response on our part. It demands a acknowledgement and dependence and a sense
of gratitude, of joy, and a sense of responsibility. Our dependence is not in
psychological sense, but in ontological sense, that is, dependent in our being
and in our freedom. A sense of gratitude because it is a gift to us, a sense of
joy because God's creation is beautiful and therefore, we must rejoice in
creation and we must appreciate it. A sense of responsibility because he has
entrusted to us the world. We become the co-workers. We have to take care of it
to unfold the potentiality that God has put in the creation and to continue the task of the Creator. It demands
care for earth, concern for life, commitment to the people, reverence for human
beings. GS 69 says that the wealth of the world belongs to all. The faith in
creation should lead to commitment towards justice. GS 27 says if you do not
revere the life, it is a supreme dishonor to the Creator. Thus, human beings
are called to collaborate in the task of creation.
DH 1
(Vatican II (Paul VI) Dignitatis Humanae,7th Dec, 1965, Declaration on
Religious Liberty)
It speaks on the right of the person
and communities to social and civil
liberty in religious matters in general. It speaks of contemporary man's
becoming increasingly conscious of the dignity of the person and the demand for
responsible freedom. It says that the demand for freedom in human society is
concerned chiefly with what concerns the free practice of religion in society.
The sacred Council begins by professing that God himself has made known to the
human race how men by serving him can be
saved and reach happiness in christ,. It also expresses the belief
that this one tue religion
continues to exist in the Catholic and Apostolic church to which the Lord Jesus
entrusted the task of spreading it among all men when he said to the apostles
" Go therefore ..... (Mt 28: 19-20). All men are bound to seek the truth
especially in what concerns God and his Church and to embrace it and to hold on
to it as they come to know it. The sacred Council also proclaims that these
obligations bind man's conscience. While
the religious freedom which men demand in fulfilling their obligation to
worship God has to do with freedom from coercion in civil society, it leaves
intact the traditional catholic teaching on the moral duty of individuals and
societies towards the true religion and the one Church of Christ.
(Gaudium et Spes 7
Dec 1965, "Pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world").
GS 17: Speaks of the excellence of freedom. It says that
"for God willed that man should be left in the hand of his own counsel.
Freedom implies negatively absence of internal necessity and the absence of
external force and positively implies capacity for self-determination. Freedom
is not to choose anything but to choose what is good. Since, man's freedom has
been weakened by sin, he needs God's grace. It is according to deeds good or
evil we all will be judged. Luther says that sin has destroyed our freedom. It
has not destroyed but it has damaged our freedom. Therefore, each human being
is free and God willed it.
(What I am dealing below is not
required in strict sense because 12-18, do not deal with anything of freedom
except 17, while 18 alone deals with hope. But I have tried to give the summary
of them all. Therefore, concentrate only on 18).
GS 12-22 deal with the dignity of the human person.
GS.12
speaks on man as the image of God. It says "For sacred Scripture teaches
that man was created `to the image of God'. He did not create man as a solitary
being, but male and female he created them (Gen 1,27). This partnership of man
and woman constitutes the first form of communion between persons. For by his
inner most nature man is a social being;
and if he does not enter into relations with others he can neither live nor
develop his gifts.
GS.13 speaks on sin. Although set by God in a state of
rectitude, man, enticed by the evil one, abused his freedom, at the very start
of history. Thus he raised against God because of which the whole life of men,
both individual and social became a struggle. Therefore, the Lord himself came
to free and strengthen man, renewing him inwardly and casting out the prince of
this world (Jn 12:31) who held him in the bondage of sin.
GS.14
speaks of the essential nature of man. Though man is made of body and soul he
is a unity. Therefore, both body and soul are to be taken seriously. But man
realizes deep down his heart that God awaits him and therefore he is not deceived when he regards himself as superior
to bodily things and rises above the whole universe of mere objects.
GS 15
& 16 speak of the
dignity of the intellect, of truth, of
wisdom and of moral conscience. Acknowledging all the achievements by
the human effort, it urges that our age needs to make provision for men of
greater wisdom to avoid the danger in the future. It also speaks of the inner
voice. Man's conscience is his most secret core and his sanctuary (abode of
God).
GS 18: deals with the mystery of death (the aspect of hope).
Death is a frightening reality. It drives man to the state of despair. The
Church, taught by divine revelation
declares that God has created man in view of blessed destiny that lies beyond
the limits of his sad state on earth. For God has called man and still calls
him to cleave with all his being to him in sharing for ever a life that is divine and free from all decay.
Christ won this victory when he rose to life for by his death he freed man from
death. Thus, it gives hope, that we will be united in christ with those loved
ones who have already died.
GS 22-32 speak of the
community of mankind. No 32 comes as climax of it. It starts speaking first of
the communitarian nature of man's vocation. God desired that all men should
form one family and deal with each other in a spirit of brotherhood. Love of
God and of one's neighbor then, is the first and greatest commandment. Man by
nature, is a social being and therefore
each one is interdependent for personal betterment and for the improvement of
the society. Because of the closer bonds of human inter dependence, there
is a widening of the role of common
good. Since we all receive our life from God which is a gift to us we are equal
and we have to fight for justice and we
need to respect life and should have respect for human person. Our love and
respect should not only be to friends but also to our enemies.
No.32 of Gaudium et Spes deals with the Word made flesh and
human solidarity which needs to be said more here since it is specifically
given in the thesis. Just God did not
create men to live as individuals so he willed to make men holy and save them,
not as individuals but as a people. This is very clear when we look at the
outset of salvation History. Calling men
as members of a given community, revealing his plan, calling them his people
(Ex 3:7-12) and making a covenant on Mount Sinai with them. This communitarian
character is perfected and fulfilled in the work of Jesus Christ, for the Word
made flesh willed to share in human
fellowship (his association with the all sorts of people during his public
ministry). In his preaching, he clearly outlined an obligation on the part of
the sons of God to treat each other as brothers. He delivered himself even unto
death for the sake of all (Jn 15:13). He established after his death and
resurrection a new brotherly communion of his own body the church, in which
every one would render mutual service. This solidarity must be constantly increased until the day when it will be brought
to fulfillment. All these things affirm that we depend on God and on another for salvation. Our
solidarity is both in sin and salvation.
